Linda felt as if she'd been slapped. For a moment she stood there, speechless.
Apparently, she stood there for a long time. The receptionist pasted a fake smile on her face and asked "Is there a problem?"
"I don't understand. I spoke with Beth just last month. She said to just come to personnel, that you'd have me update my paperwork, and I could start right away." For the first time she noticed the receptionist's nametag: Rose.
Rose said "That's not the way it works anymore. Possibly something will become available in September. You should keep in touch!"
"I'll be back in school in September! Is Beth here? Can I see her?"
Rose squinted. "Well, she's very busy. I can leave her a message for you."
"Do that. Could you please?"
At dinner that night she told her mother and older brother Bobby all about the situation. Her brother Bobby worked at a stereo store, on commission. He often proudly remarked "That's what separates the men from the boys." When he learned of Linda's plight, he chuckled and said "They get a free employee. What's the big deal?"
"It's not that simple," their mother said, as she dropped the last of the sausages onto the sauce platter. "Things are really tight now. You may not believe it, but it does cost money to bring in volunteers."
"That's crazy," Bobby said. "How does it cost them any money? She shows up, she helps the nurses a little bit, and everybody's happy."
"Insurance. They have to pay extra to make sure everyone's covered, in case you slip and fall and hurt yourself."
"That's messed up," Bobby went on.
"It's called the real world, Robert," his mother murmured.
Real world or not, Linda had counted on working on the floor with nurses during the summer. What was she going to do now?
The next day Beth called her, just before she was going to leave for the pool with Molly. "I apologize for the misunderstanding. Rose is right. We did have a lot of girls show up for our regular positions on the floor. The med surg area, where you worked last summer, has all of the help they need."
"Well, what about the other areas? Do you have any openings on any of the other floors?"
Beth paused for a few moments. She was a zaftig woman with a resonant alto voice.
"Honey, there is another opening in another area, but I'm not sure if it's right for you."